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News & Stories

Amrina Set to Open in The Woodlands Waterway Square

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Kahani Social Group, a luxury hospitality group dedicated to creating all-encompassing, unique social experiences, announces its first concept, Amrina, set to open in Q1 of 2022 at 3 Waterway Squre in The Woodlands®, as well as the addition of Chef Jaspratap “Jassi” Bindra as the Executive Chef and Managing Partner of Kahani Social Group. 

“From the moment I began talks with the Kahani Social Group team, I knew we’d create something incredible together,” said Bindra. “I’m thrilled to join a team that is not only open to creating a revolutionary dining adventure, but is as passionate as I am about that mission.”

The word “kahani” translates to “story,” which is the driving force behind the brand. The name of the group’s first concept, Amrina, translates to “princess.” The atmosphere, eclectic menu and visual cocktails will tell the story of a modern-day princess – one with mystery and a bit of an edge. The restaurant will reflect the library of Chef Jassi’s fine dining chronicles and act as the gastronomic signature of Kahani Social Group. In addition, guests will enjoy the restaurant’s luxe nightlife scene, as the concept will offer a high-energy experience complete with DJs and live entertainment on weekends. Located at 3 Waterway Square Place, Suite 100, the group carefully chose the Waterway Square location, which is owned and operated by The Howard Hughes Corporation®, for their first location. The team is thrilled to bring Amrina’s distinctive dining and social experience to the popular and vibrant walkable area within The Woodlands Town Center.

The design of the space is unlike anything in the region, featuring jewel tones, gold embellished details and a complex mix of dimension and texture, creating a warm yet sultry design. Guests may enjoy the eclectic, chef-driven menu in the restaurant’s fabulous cocktail lounge, main dining room, 30-foot indoor-outdoor bar which serves both the patio and main dining room, princess garden seating with booths facing the restaurant’s impressive fine wine selection, private dining room, semi-private dining or in-kitchen chef’s table, where Chef Jassi Bindra will serve guests and guide them through the menu himself. Amrina will offer Indian-inspired dishes with a creative flourish, as a new plot in a familiar tale. This cuisine will act as part of the expansive menu that touches various continents across the globe. The menu explores aspects of taste that will pleasantly surprise both the adventurer and the traditionalist. The style of the signature Eclectic Cuisine in the preparation and presentation of each dish will provide a thrilling twist on a classic culinary love story.

Bindra, whose resume speaks volumes, recently relocated to Houston from Washington D.C. for the role. During his residence in the nation’s capital city, Bindra held the position of Executive Chef at Punjab Grill, a position for which he beat out two other chefs from Michelin star restaurants in London and New York. Bindra’s unique menu and creative execution landed the restaurant a Michelin plate and mention in the Michelin guide in 2019. The same year, he was named in “The World’s Best Indian Chefs” article in the Hindustan Times by Vir Sanghvi, India’s renowned food critic. Sanghvi stated that the restaurant “was the best fine-dining Indian restaurant on the East Coast of America.” With Amrina, his goal is to create a voyage of taste, texture and temperature, using locally-sourced ingredients with innovative techniques and zero waste practices.

Amrina’s modern, yet visually impactful design complements its equally stunning menu, which features dishes guaranteed to taste as good as they look. Brothers, Surpreet and Preet Paul Singh, co-founders of Kahani Social Group, traveled the world gathering knowledge and experiences that would prepare them for the day they launched their own luxury hospitality group. Prioritizing luxury at every step, the brothers, in partnership with Chef Jassi, have carefully selected every detail of the space from metallic dishware to tailor-made uniforms imported from India to set the scene for an unforgettable dining event.

“With my brother’s and my background in the restaurant industry, we know what guests are looking for,” said Surpreet Singh, co-founder of Kahani Social Group. “And, with Chef’s culinary expertise, we know our team will leave no stone unturned when it comes to creating the best atmosphere, menu and overall social experience.”

Herman Miller to open in The Woodlands Market Street January 11, 2022

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Herman Miller, the global leader in innovative design and furnishing solutions and a part of the MillerKnoll collective (NASDAQ: MLHR), announces today the opening of a new retail location in Houston, the brand’s third Texas store. Situated in Market Street – The Woodlands shopping district, the new location supports Herman Miller’s commitment to supporting
Texas’ small business owners and those working from home in providing the brand’s full range of performance seating options and office essentials.

Woodlands Church - Indoor playground is open for fun!

Get excited! After an extended closure due to COVID-19, the gigantic indoor playground at Woodlands Church has reopened for fun! It's absolutely FREE to use and open to the public! The multi-level playscape - the largest indoor play structure in Texas, actually -  is available 9am - 3pm Monday through Thursday for ages toddler to 12 years old. 

The area boasts slides, climbing structures, and many levels to explore! Socks are required for play. Clean restrooms are are site, and Wi-fi is complimentary!

Below are photos and a few more details. Have fun playing!

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The bottom level of the playscape features crawling mats and pint-sized play elements, perfectly suited for tots:

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Woodlands Church is located at 1 Fellowship Dr in The Woodlands, and is accessible via entrances off Gosling Rd and off College Park Dr. 

The on-site cafe that serves up sandwiches, pastries, coffee drinks, and more! 

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There's plenty of space to dine and lounge! My 7-year-old romps on the playground while the bigger kids do their schoolwork and mommy browses Facebook. (LOL)

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For more details including the most up-to-date info regarding this facility, visit Woodlands Church's website here.


The Stand "American Classics Redefined" Restaurant to open first Texas location in Hughes Landing

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The Stand “American Classics Redefined” restaurant is opening its first Texas location in Hughes Landing in The Woodlands.® The popular California restaurant that has redefined fast-casual dining will be located on the ground level of Two Lakes Edge, the award-winning luxury, multifamily development by The Howard Hughes Corporation® (NYSE: HHC).

Established in 2003, The Stand has 11 California locations in the greater Los Angeles and Orange County metropolitan areas and continues to grow, with its new location in The Woodlands representing their first dining establishment in Texas and plans to add more sites throughout the coming year. The location in The Woodlands is anticipated to open in the summer of 2022.

The Stand will serve high-quality classic American food at an affordable price in an upscale and contemporary environment. The chef-driven menu will consist of customizable burgers and the Stand’s own creative twist on sandwiches, fries, fresh seasonal salads, hot dogs, wraps, veggies, plant-based proteins, custard and handmade milkshakes, craft beer and wine on tap. Catering options will also be available.

“We are excited to announce The Stand restaurant to the lineup of restaurants at Hughes Landing. Its diverse and creative menu offerings will complement the numerous dining options available to residents, workers and visitors for lunch or an evening meal in a casual setting,” said Jim Carman, President - Houston Region for The Howard Hughes Corporation. “We welcome the Stand as one of the many businesses that have chosen to relocate to Texas—and specifically to The Woodlands, recognizing the exceptional quality of life that has made the community one of the best places to live and work in the country.”

Hughes Landing continues to evolve the retail, restaurant and entertainment experiences that make the 79-acre mixed-use environment set amongst the 200-acre Lake Woodlands such a popular destination. The walkable setting of Hughes Landing highlights health and wellness, with rentals of kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and water bike rentals offered at the Lakes Edge Boat House. Class A office buildings, multifamily living at One Lakes Edge and Two Lakes Edge, and an Embassy Suites by Hilton add to the vibrancy of Hughes Landing, which is further activated by public art throughout the community.

Murray Wishengrad, CEO/Founder of The Stand Restaurants, added, “We chose to establish our first Texas-based location in The Woodlands for its active lifestyle and unique sense of community which is at the heart of our brand. We also recognized that the appealing area of Hughes Landing is underserved for high-quality fast-casual options. Moreover, Hughes Landing is an ideal site to serve both the office and lunch community as well as serve the residents of The Woodlands. We live by our ‘Committed to Community’ motto, and we look forward to connecting with the local community and neighborhoods in The Woodlands.”

SPOTLIGHT MOM: Meet Stacy T.

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Meet Stacy T., our Spotlight Mom for January 2022!

If you're a mom interested in being in our Mom Spotlight in 2022, please CLICK HERE. 

Please tell us a little about your family:

We are a plant-based homeschooling family of four. My husband and I have been blessed with two girls ages 4 and 5. The girls are super close in age as well as in friendship. Our family is in love with nature, books, art, and health & wellness.

Before we had kids, my husband and I lived downtown, and we absolutely loved being in the city, but after having our first baby we knew we wanted to live and play among more trees and green spaces. Today we spend our days watching butterflies and other insects, collecting leaves, maxing out our library cards and exploring parks and playgrounds.

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Do you have a business you'd like to share with our readers:

My husband and I have run Eat Good, a vegan food pop-up for the last few years. We used to be regulars at the Woodlands Farmers Market, but when things shut down in 2020 we stopped and began to focus more on our podcast "Plants Changed My Life" and getting our food truck road ready. Our mission with all we do is to inspire people to make steps toward living a healthier lifestyle.

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Favorite place to go in The Woodlands area:

There are so many, but if I have to pick just one it would be Rob Fleming Park -- we love taking walks, riding bikes and having picnics out here.

Favorite blogs I read:

I am always checking WoodlandsMommy.com and bigkidsmallcity.com for ideas on things to do with the girls. I have been on a new mission to have less "stuff" so I like to read bemorewithless.com/archives for inspiration. I love what the folks at earthconsciouslife.org/blog are doing, they always have quick useful tips on upcycling, composing and gardening.

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First job:

I was a customer service rep at Rave, a now defunct teen clothing store.

Favorite childhood book or story:

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I remember getting money to buy my very own copy from the Scholastic book fair.

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Favorite meal to prepare together:

Pizza with scratch-made crust.

3 Things on my Long-Term To-Do List:

1. Learn to swim (spring/summer 2022)
2. Do a triathlon (fall 2022)
3. Write my first children's book (winter 2022)

How I spend my Friday evenings:

Sitting through back-to-back dance classes for the girls then rushing home to have pizza night!

Favorite non-homemade dessert (and where can we find it):

We found the most delicious banana pudding at SoVeganly in Old Town Spring. Even better, it is gluten-free so my littles can eat it too. (And it does not taste like it is missing the traditional ingredients! )

Best way to spend $50:

Buy a variety of fresh herbs to grow at home. Fresh herbs really take any dish up ten-fold. It's like a gift that keeps on giving.

Something in your purse that has an interesting story behind it:

I have not gotten back to carrying a purse in my post-baby life. I alternate between a fanny pack, a backpack or book satchel. But no matter what type of bag I have, I always have acorns in it. My children love collecting acorns and when we see squirrels we pass them along to them.

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My life:

Motherhood is a life-changing experience. (<--That is an understatement!) I never imagined I would trade life as a TV news journalist, to have a front row seat in watching these little girls grow up, and I am so deeply grateful each day to have this opportunity.

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How can our readers find you?

Websites:
www.plantschangedmylife.com
eatgoodhouston.com

Instagram:
@plantschangedmylife
@eatgoodhouston

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After our initial interview, we learned from Stacy that her daughters have their own business. Here's more: 

The girls' business is called Ivy + Averie Flower Company.  They have always absolutely loved picking and arranging flowers, sticks, leaves-- everything they get their hands on.  We read Bee Fearless by Mikaila Ulmer and they loved hearing her story of how she launched her lemonade company.  They came up with the idea for their business and worked through a business plan.  Their mission is to raise money to help pollinators.  They use upcycled and earth-friendly materials for their containers.  They had their very first business fair in November. Their website is Houstonsflowergirls.com.  

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Editor’s Review – *SPECTACULAR* Ramses The Great exhibit at HMNS

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A few weeks ago, my family and I stepped back 3,200 years into Ancient Egyptian history to learn more about Ramses II and the historical events surrounding his reign. The Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs, currently on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, is pure grandeur!

The incredible collection features a myriad of Egyptian-themed decorated rooms filled with awe-inspiring artifacts – coffins, royal masks, mummified animals, jewelry, one-of-a-kind-relics, and more that capture the highlights in Ramses’ reign. One of the most prolific builders of ancient Egypt, Ramses left his mark on buildings across Egypt and Nubia like no other Egyptian monarch.

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We began our tour with a five-minute video about King Ramses, which served as a great introduction and overview for young kids and adults alike. It surprisingly held my 7-year-old’s attention. After the film, we were off to explore the artifacts and displays at our own pace.

The exhibition makes impressive use of lighting to make the rooms feel dark and mysterious. Walking through, one really gets the sense of having been transported to an ancient place and time. At one point, one of my teenagers (I won’t name names) asked me to stay close, because she didn’t like the feel of walking past all the artifacts – especially the ornate coffins - by herself.

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I’ll let you in on a little secret. I don’t like having to do a lot of reading when I visit museums. I know reading is informative, and the labels and captions are how we really learn the history of what we’re looking at, but I prefer to just go to museums and gawk at all the artifacts without having to spend most of my time learning. LOL! Don’t judge me! This exhibition is perfect for such a thing. There are plenty of captions to explain the displays, but because everything is so stately, one gets a sense for what they’re looking at even without reading everything.

Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs is on display at Houston Museum of Natural Science through May 23, 2022. When you visit, be sure to use your WoodlandsMommy.com Corporate Discount to save on your tickets. CLICK HERE to snag the discount.

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